BNHAxoc Midnight Musers

Chapter 1

The rhythmic rumble of the train lulled me into a half-awake state, the flickering fluorescent lights playing strobing games on my eyelids. Sleep, that elusive mistress, danced just out of reach, as it always did. I sighed, pulling my worn copy of "Mastery of Quirks" closer, the familiar scent of coffee grounds and well-worn paper a poor substitute for the oblivion I craved.

My name is Artemia, and insomnia is my constant companion. It's been my best friend, worst enemy, and everything in between since I was a kid. Maybe it's the chai my Amma insists on brewing at 3 AM, or the endless hum of Bollywood music that filters through the walls of our tiny Tokyo apartment. Whatever the reason, sleep and I have an...complicated relationship.

But today, sleep was the furthest thing from my mind. Today was the U.A. High School Entrance Exam, the gateway to becoming a hero, a dream I'd harbored since I was five years old, ever since I saw All Might leap from a burning building, a beacon of hope in his crimson cape.

My quirk, "Lullaby," isn't exactly flashy. It lets me manipulate sound waves, inducing drowsiness or even temporary paralysis in those who hear it. Not exactly the stuff of epic battles and saving civilians from rampaging villains. But I've spent years honing my quirk, turning it from a childhood nuisance into a tool, a weapon. And today, I was going to show the world what I could do.

The train pulled into Mustafu Station, a throng of nervous teenagers spilling out onto the platform. I joined the tide, my stomach churning with a mix of excitement and dread. The U.A. Entrance Exam was notoriously difficult, with only the top few applicants making it through to the hero course. The competition was fierce, and the odds were stacked against me.

But I had coffee. And chai. And a notebook full of meticulously researched strategies. Besides, giving up wasn't in my blood. I was an insomniac Indian girl with a dream, and today, I was going to chase it, sleep be screwed.

The first part of the exam was a written test, a grueling battery of questions about hero history, ethics, and quirk analysis. My pen flew across the page, fueled by nervous energy and a potent dose of instant coffee. The second part was the physical test, a series of obstacle courses designed to test our agility, stamina, and quirk control. I weaved through robots, scaled walls, and dodged lasers, my Lullaby humming softly under my breath, lulling the mechanical guards into a stupor.

Then came the final test: the Battle Trial. We were paired off against robots of varying difficulty, tasked with taking them down or immobilizing them within a time limit. My opponent was a hulking metal monstrosity with flashing red eyes and clangy limbs. My heart hammered against my ribs, but I took a deep breath and focused. This was it. My moment to shine.

I raised my hand, and a wave of sound washed over the arena. The robot's movements grew sluggish, its hydraulics whining in protest. It stumbled, gears grinding, and then, with a satisfying clang, collapsed to the ground, inert.

The buzzer blared, and I sagged with relief. I'd done it. I'd passed the first round of the U.A. Entrance Exam.

As I walked out of the arena, the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in fiery hues of orange and pink. I was exhausted, my nerves frayed, but a smile stretched across my face. For the first time in years, I didn't feel the familiar pang of longing for sleep. Instead, I felt a surge of something new: hope.

The road ahead would be long and arduous, but today, I had taken the first step. And maybe, just maybe, with a little bit of chai, a whole lot of coffee, and my trusty Lullaby, I could make my dream a reality.

To be continued...